Watermelon-Elderberry Wine

• 6-1/2 lb watermelon
• 1/4 lb dried elderberries
• water to 1 gallon
• juice and zest of 2 lemons
• 1-2/3 lbs granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• wine yeast

Cut the rind off of melon, cut melon into one-inch cubes, remove loose seeds, and put melon and any free juice in primary (crock, plastic pail, etc.). Grate the yellow thinly off two lemons, then juice the lemons and add the juice and zest (gratings) to primary. Add dried elderberries, pectic enzyme and yeast nutrient. Add water to make up 1 gallon. Stir in sugar and stir well to dissolve. Cover primary with cloth, wait 12 hours and add wine yeast. Cover and ferment 3 days, stirring daily. Strain juice into secondary (demijohn) and fit airlock. Ferment 30 days and rack, topping up with water into which 1/3 cup sugar has been disolved. Add one crushed Campden tablet, refit airlock, and rack every 30 days for 6 months. Stabilize (1/4 tsp potassium sorbate and another crushed Campden tablet) about a week before bottling. Allow to age at least 6 months in bottles, but improves with additional age. [Author’s recipe]